Two-in-one pump assembly



May 15, 1962 D. E. HERMANSON Two-:N-ONE PUMP ASSEMBLY 3 Sheets-Sheet 1Filed June 24, 1959 INVENTOR.

e llllllllllllill M 5 M W 5 M. E aw May 15, 1962 Filed June 24, 1959 D.E. HERMANSON TWO-IN-ONE PUMP ASSEMBLY 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 May 15, 1962 D.E. HERMANSON 3,034,440

Two-IN-ONE PUMP ASSEMBLY Filed June 24, 1959 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR.054A/ HERMA/.SOA/

lugs, thus to form an interrupted threadrjoint which can be locked orunlocked by rotating one pair of lugs through approximately 9G degrees.FIGURES 3, 6, and 7 best disclose the barrel locking'and releasementVmechanism. As shown in FlGURE 3, diagonally disposed stops 25 on theouter lugs 24 limit and secure the inter-nt "og locking elements inposition, permitting only a partial rotation of the sucker rod 11 to theright for release of the locking action and free reciprocal movement ofsucker rod 11 asV shown in FIGURE 7. Y

The .lower end of the pumpbarrel 18 is reduced to form a secondaryseating boss 27, tapered at 2S, ported at 29 and merging into anintegral connecting rod 30. The secondary seating boss 27 has one ormore sealing rings or cups 3-1, disposed in circular recesses 32 thereinand having deformable metal seating edges thereof projecting therefrom.

The upper pump barrel 18 is spaced from the tubing 1t) sufficiently toprovide an annular uid passageway 33. The seating boss 27 has a bore 34providing fluid communication between the ports 29 and a standing valveseat 35 within a cavity 36 of barrel 18. A ball valve 37 and trap 33 inconnection with the Valve seat 35 complete an upper standing valveassembly in the lower` end of the upper pump barrel 13. The upper pumpbarrel 18 contains in operative association the lower conventional iiuidinlet or standing valve assembly and the 39 formed thereon with a valveseat 42 and traveling valve 43 organized and operating in the Ysamemanner as the plunger and valve in the upper pump A.

YThe lower pump B includes an elongated cylindrical pump barrel 45 whichreceives the plunger 39 and depends lsubstantially therebelow ina mannerto supporta lower standing valve ina cavity 46. The standing valvecomprises an' upwardly facing longitudinally kopen seat 47, vball valve43, and trap 49.' The lower pump barrel 45 is spaced inwardly fromtubing to form an annular uid passageway 50. In the upper end of thelower pump barrel 45 is formed a seating collar 51 which carries aseries of outwardly projecting standard sealing rings or cups 51(a) that-t tightly into an inwardly projecting seating nipple 52 formed on theinterior of tubing 10 and anchor the entire pump assembly therein. Theseating of the lower pump barrel 45 in the nipple 52 provides aVsecurearichoring of the lower pump assembly against reciprocal movementinduced Vby sucker rod action, but the lower pump mechanism as well asthe upper pump assembly are still releasable and removable to the wellsurface when a pulling job is required.

The operation normally starts with an initial well surface locking ofthe upper pump barrel 18 and the sucker rod 1l. This is accomplished byrotating the lugs 23 into locking engagement with the lugs 24 as shownin full line in FIGURE 3 and Valso in FIGURE 6. When the pump barrel 18has been locked to the lowermost sucker rod 1li, the upper pump assemblyA is rendered completely inactive and in a stand-by condition with theplunger mechanism therein rigidly secured to the upper pump barrel.

The upper pump barrel 1S now becomes a link or section of the sucker rodstring and is directly connected through rod 30 to the plunger 39 in thelower pump assembly which is supported during insertion in the well boreby the engagement of the plunger 39 with the inner circular sleeve Valveshoulder 54 in lower pump barrelV d5. ln other words, the lower pumpbarrel is loosely supported and carried by the lower pump plunger 39during well insertion. Removal of the pump barrel 45 from the well boreat any time is also accomplished by engagement of the plunger 39 withthe inner cylinder 54.

When the connected reciprocating upper and lower pump assemblies havebeen lowered tothe huid producing zone of the well, the multipleVsealing rings 51 (A) on the lower pump barrel 45 engage theconventional tubing nipple 52 on thetubing l@ and are pressed intopressure-tight releasable seated engagement. The downward movement ofthe barrel 13 seats the boss 27 on the secondaryseating nipple 53.

With the lower pump barrel 45 rrnly seated, the sucker rod string,including the lockedV upper pump barrel 11.3, is withdrawn slightly toan operative detached position. Because there are a greater number ofseating rings 51 (A) on the tubing nipple 52 than on the seating boss27,

F withdrawal of the upper pump barrel 1S is permitted.

With the lower pump assemblyV anchored and the upper stand-by pumpwithdrawn to a position where it merely becomes a section of the suckerrod'assemblyfto reciprocate the plunger 39. in the lower pump barrel 45,the Well fluid pumpingoperation may be initiated.`

The above-described Voperations and methods have all been manual or atleast manually controlled at the surface initially, and thereafterremotely controlled from the well 56, normally urged upwardly by ahelical compression Y springj57 to a closed position with respect tospaced fluid ports 58 formed in the lower pump barrel 45. The sleevevalve 56 has a tapered upper shoulder 59 adapted to engage a similarlyformed'seat 69 in the barrel 45 to limit the sleeve valve 56 in itsupward closed position. The shoulder 59 of sleeve valve 56 extendsinwardly around the connecting rod 36 inv such manner that it will beengaged by lugs 61 onithe connecting rod 30 when the latter movesdownwardly beyond the lower limit of its reciprocation in operating thelower pump B. The sleeve valve 56 andV associatedV mechanismris shown inclosed position in FIGURES l, 2, and 8 and in open Vposition in FGURES4, 5, and 9.

surface. Now, thesucker rod string, not shown'inpdetail, is connected toa power operated pump jacl; i, and reciprocation of plunger 39 in thelower anchored pump barrel 45 begins with consequent elevationof thewell fluids to the surface in the usual manner.

During operation of the lower pump B, the tluid passes around the upperpump A through the annular passage 33 and little or no liuid passesthrough the upper pump since in the absence of a restriction in theannulus 33 there is insuicient pressure to'raise the valves 14 and 37.

As stated before, as long as the lower pump assembly functionssatisfactorily, the above operation continues, but when the lower pumpbecomes inelective for reasons beyond manual surface control, such forexample as wear or sanding up, the stand-by upper reciprocating pumpassembly/A may be thrown into operation to save the expense of a pullingoperation.

To activate the upper stand-by pump A, the reciprocal movement of thesucker rod string is stopped and manual sur-face controlled operationthereof is commenced. First, the sucker rod string is advanced to apoint where the secondary seating boss 27 and the attached sealing'rings31 are again anchored in the secondary seating nipple 53 ofthe lowerpump barrel 45. This downward movement ofthe upper pump barrel 18operates simultaneously to engage the lugs 61 on connecting rod 30against the sleeve valve 56 to move the same to an open position asshown in FIGURES 4, 5, and 9.

The anchoring of the upper pump barrel 18 renders the plunger 3ginactive in the lower pumpbarrel 45 and the lower pump B now becomes inetect fluid isolated. Fluid liow is now established through the annulariluid passageway 50, through the sleeve valve ports 53 into the upperbarrel cavity 36 through ports 29 and bore S4. Final activation of theupper pump `assembly A'is accomplished by manual surface controlledrotation of the sucker rod l1 through approximately 90 degrees to theright and to a completely unlocked position with the lugs 24 releasedfrom the complemental lugs 23.

Complete activation of the stand-by upper pump assembly having beenaccomplished remotely from well surface position, the sucker rod stringis again connected to the power driven reciprocating mechanism, notshown, and pumping of uid from the same producing zone is accomplishedwithout the expense of a pulling operation. The liuid ow to the anchoredupper pump barrel 18 has been described and the actual pumping operationthereafter is conventional insofar as the standing valve 37 andtraveling valve 14 are concerned in that the Lmid p is elevated to thewell surface in tubing through the ports 16 in upper plunger 12 and theports 20 in tapered extension 19 of the upper pump barrel 18.

The initial seating of the lower pump assembly has been describedincluding the slight withdrawal of the secondary seat from the lowerpump barrel seating nipple. Ue final permanent seating of the upperVpump barrel in the secondary seat upon de-activation of the lowerl pumpassembly has also been explained. Nevertheless, it is important toemphasize that under any circumstances and at any time it is possible tomanually remove the connected pumping assemblies from the well borebecause the connected barrel and plunger assemblies are fashioned andarranged for secure anchoring during operation, but still aresusceptible of a pulling operation from the well surface.

While the form of the invention shown and described is fully capable ofachieving the objects and providing the advantages hereinbefore stated,it will be realized that variations are possible without departure fromthe spirit of the invention. For this reason it is not intended to limitthe invention to the form shown and described but rather to the scope ofthe appended claims.

I claim:

1. A well pump assembly for use with well tubing in the fluidproducing'zones of a well bore, which includes: a sucker rod string;mechanically connected upper and vlower pump assemblies, said upperassembly comprising an upper barrel annularly spaced from the welltubing to define therewith a first uid passageway, a plunger in saidupper barrel connected to the lowermost sucker rod, a seating boss onsaid supper barrel, and an actuating rod depending from said upperbarrel; said lower pump assembly comprising a lower barrel annularlyspaced from the well tubing to dene therewith a second fluid passageway,means on the exterior of'said lower barrel for releasably anchoring saidlower barrel in the well tubing and thereby blocking direct uidcommunication between said rst and second passageways, means on saidlower barrel providing a third fluid passageway establishing direct duidcommuncation from said second passageway to said upper pump assembly, aplunger in said lower barrel connected to said actuating rod, a sleevevalve mechanism in said lower barrel normally preventing flow throughsaid third passageway, and a seating nipple on said lower barrel; meansfor locking said upper barrel to said sucker rod string to initiallyrender said upper pump assembly inactive; and surface controlled meansresponsive to longitudinal movement of said sucker rod string into thewell bore for de-activating said lower'pump assembly by anchoring saidupper barrel boss in said nipple and actuating said sleeve valvemechanism to establish such communication; said upper barrel beingreleasable from said sucker rod string by virtue of rotation of thelatter, the upper pump assembly being thereby actuated.

2. A well pump assembly for use in thel fluid-producing zones of an oilwell, which includes: upper and lower axially alined reciprocating pumpassemblies', each of said assemblies having an individualbarrel and anindividual plunger; a stem extending upwardly from the plunger of saidrst assembly; releasable interlocking means on said stem and the barrelof said upper assembly releasably holding them against relativereciprocation; releasable means `tor holding the individualbarrels ofsaid assemblies against relative reciprocation; a connecting rod betweensaid upper barrel and the plunger of said lower assembly, there being aport through the wall of the lower barrel; a sleeve valvenormallyclosing said port; `and means carried by said rod and operableby descent thereof to open said valve,

3. A well pump assembly for use in the fluid-producing zones of an oilwell, which includes: upper and lower, axially alined reciprocatingpumps, each of said pumps having an individual barrel assembly includinga standing valve, and an individual plunger assembly including atraveling valve; a stem extending upwardly from and axially alined withthe plunger assembly of said upper pump; releasable interlocking meanson said stem and on the barrel assembly of saidgupper pump releasablyholding lthem against relative reciprocatiou; a connecting rod betweensaid upper barrel assembly and the plunger assembly of said lower pump;selectively operable releasable means sealingly interconnecting the twobarrel assemblies to hold them against relative reciprocation; and abypass valve in the lower barrel assembly operable, when the said barrelassemblies are so held, to establish a bypassage around the valves ofsaid lower pump.

4. A well pump assembly for use in well tubingin the fluid producingzones of an oil well, which includes: upper and lower, axially alignedreciprocating pumps, each of said pumps having an individual barrelassembly including a standing valve, and an individual plunger as-Vsembly including a traveling valve and having a work stroke confined tothe extent of its barrel; means on the barrel assembly of said lowerpump adapted to sealingly and releasably anchor said last mentionedbarrel assembly in the well tubing; a stem extending upwardly from andaxially aligned with the plunger assembly of said upper pump; meansoperatively connected to said stem for imparting reciprocatory motion tothe plunger assembly of said upper pump; releasable interlocking meanson said stem and on the barrel assembly of said upper pump releasablyholding them against relative reciprocation; a connecting rod betweenthe barrel yassembly of said upper pump and the plunger assembly of saidlower pump; selectively operable releasable means nterconnecting the twobarrel assemblies to hold them against relative reciprocation; and abypass valve in the lower barrel assembly operable when the barrelassemblies are so held to establish a bypassage aroundthe valves of isaid lower pump.

. References Cited in the tile of this patent

